Loveless
by Crimson613
Summary: SouRitsuka. Ritsuka can't help but feel confused about Soubi. Soubi says he loves him but it can't be true…even if his actions sometimes prove otherwise. HOLD
1. Chapter 1

Ritsuka allowed Soubi to hold him, even in his injured state. He felt so confused when they were together, especially when Soubi uttered those three deadly words_, I love you_. He felt butterflies in his stomach and pain in his heart. The word love had never been so confusing until he met Soubi.

It had never been painful to listen as the people around him said _I love you _or _I like you_…until he met Soubi. He had changed everything in his life the day they had met. He really was a spell.

_I love you_ no longer held the same meaning.

He turned towards the older man and watched as his long hair began to cover his face. The band-aid on his cheek was slightly stained red and Ritsuka reached out to touch him.

Pain.

That was one thing they both had in common. His bandaged hands and Soubi's body all knew the meaning of pain inflicted by someone they loved. He looked away as he felt himself become comfortable in the embrace.

"I love you."

Soubi always made him feel warmth when embraced but at the same time freezing winds chilled his heart as he remembered those three words were nothing more than lies. Soubi only loved him because Seimei had ordered him to love him.

It wasn't real love.

He was just following orders.

Soubi kissed his cheek and began to slowly lower him onto the small bed in the room. This had been the first time he had entered Soubi's house and it somehow fit. Soubi was such an enigma that he hadn't really expected anything in his sleeping quarters. He took in a deep breath and couldn't help but take in the smell that surrounded the room.

Soubi's smell.

"Ritsuka," he heard the Sentouki's voice above him. It somehow sounded like a plea, rather than just his name.

Soubi caressed his face and planted small kisses everywhere his hand touched. It was like a flame was burning him but he couldn't help but mewl at the scorching touch. Nobody had ever made him feel this way.

His tail began to make ripples on the thin sheets.

There were times when he felt that Soubi really did care about him...like at that very moment. He felt his ears flatten against his head and his body began to heat up. Was he going to loose his ears then and there? He had never really thought of how he would become an adult but as Soubi hovered above him he didn't mind loosing everything to him.

In fact...there was too much separating them. Lies, secrets, names, clothes. Soubi kissed him gently on the lips and grabbed his hand, "Ritsuka."

He felt some excitement as Soubi pressed up against him. A warm hardness rubbed against his small body and he couldn't help but let out a moan. Too much separating them. He felt a hand reach out to him and it began to pull and tug at his clothing.

"Ritsuka."

He looked up and felt tears prickle at his eyes. All of these emotions and sensations were too much, "Soubi."

His now tightened pants were unbuttoned and his problem was being taken care of. Large smooth hands stroked and parted. He could feel the slickness on his body and blushed when he saw Soubi lowering himself towards him. He felt his abdomen tighten painfully and he gasped at the foreign activities being done to his virgin body.

He closed his eyes.

Times like these, where Soubi only wanted _him_, made him feel loved and he wondered, was this the type of love he wanted?

"I love you," he heard Soubi whisper.

His breath hitched and the tightening in his abdomen finally let loose.

Yes.


	2. Chapter 2

Yuiko couldn't help but become sad. All the times she had tried to get Ritsuka's attention had been in vane. She watched as Dr. Katsuko took out a pen and told her to begin her account. She felt her face heat up from embarrassment as she remembered what had caused her to come see the doctor. However, first she had to explain _everything_. She told her about the first day she had met Ritsuka and how he had become her friend.

She told her about Soubi and how after the first day of school she had seen him almost glued to Ritsuka. He would always pick him up when he wasn't busy and he even gave Ritsuka a cell phone. She told her that Soubi was a painter and that he had made them noodles at her house one day. It was the day she wanted to spend time with Ritsuka alone but Soubi had tagged along.

She told her the confession she had told Ms. Shinonome. She wasn't exactly trying to hide it but she was afraid Ritsuka would reject her, "I love him Dr. Katsuko. I would give up anything for him. I would love him no matter what."

She heard a clicking of a pen and Dr. Katsuko turned with a smile on her face, "Then why are you so sad? Shouldn't you be happy? You should be out there with him, trying to get him to reciprocate your affection."

But Dr. Katsuko knew it was more difficult. Ritsuka wasn't her patient for nothing.

Yuiko's ears flattened against her head and she whispered out, "He loves someone else."

Now this was news for Dr. Katsuko. She hadn't expected something like this from Ritsuka. She had been seeing him every Wednesday and he never mentioned anything about feeling attracted to someone and he hadn't mentioned anyone new to his list of friends. She thought back to the last couple of weeks and began to understand slightly. Recently, he had been asking about relationships and different kinds of love. It wasn't something that he mentioned everyday but he did ask at least one question about it every time he came to see her.

She felt sympathy for the girl. Ritsuka was a nice young boy who, above all, needed someone to love him. She could see Yuiko was heartbroken and in her eyes she saw the love she carried for the boy as well.

"Tell me what happened," she said while petting the young girl's head.

* * *

><p>Yuiko couldn't help but cry out as she realized she had woken up late. She rushed to her bathroom and hurriedly brushed her teeth. Her mother had come to wake her and told her that her friends were waiting for her downstairs. She checked her hair and quickly put the long strands into two pigtails.<p>

Clothes.

She went to her closet and grabbed whatever she could find. A nice red shirt with a blue jean skirt and light red leggings. She grabbed her sneakers and almost rushed downstairs. As she arrived in the kitchen she saw everyone and smiled. What she hadn't been expecting was one more guest, Soubi.

"Ritsuka-kun?" she asked.

Ritsuka turned to her and said, "Do you mind if Soubi tags along? He wanted to go as well…I can tell him to go if you don't want him to."

Yuiko was a bit hesitant but shook her head, "It's okay."

She couldn't help but feel that their trip wasn't going to be as successful as she had seen it. She saw her mother come into the room carrying some small storage containers, "I hope there's enough for everyone."

Yuiko, Yayoi, Ritsuka, and Soubi each grabbed a container. There was one left and Soubi reached out for it, "For our driver."

Yuiko smiled and nodded.

They all stood from the table, except Soubi who had been standing next to Ritsuka's chair and left the house, "You kids take care!"

Yuiko turned to her mother and waved, "We will, thank you Mama!"

She turned to the green car they were going to be riding in and couldn't help but recognize the man in the driver's seat. She couldn't remember his name but he was Soubi's friend and had been the one at the fair a year ago. His light green hair framed his face while some of it was unkempt and his pierced ears twitched as they all headed towards the car.

"Kio," she heard Soubi call out and the man turned to them. He had a smile on his face and exclaimed as Soubi gave him a container. Perhaps this wouldn't be too bad.

* * *

><p>After a few hours of driving they finally arrived at the farm for strawberry picking. She could feel her mouth salivate at the thought of freshly picked strawberries. She really did love them, "Look Ritsuka-kun! Look at all the strawberries!"<p>

She turned to her seat mate and noticed he had fallen asleep. She couldn't help but admire his sleeping form. If she thought he was beautiful the day she had first seen him, then he was ethereal now. His small form was leaning against the next passenger to his right and his face looked peaceful. The blue shirt that he wore made his dark locks take a blue tint and the long sleeved white shirt almost made his hands disappear.

She saw his eyes flutter as the car came to a stop and she smiled at him, "We're here!"

He looked around slightly and after realizing he was leaning against Soubi's shoulder he stood straight up. She couldn't help but think he looked adorable with that pink tinge on his cheeks.

"Come on you elementary school brats, we're here!" she heard Kio exclaim as he started to stretch outside of the car. She opened the door to her side and laughed cheerfully as the sun hit her. Ritsuka followed right behind her but instead of taking in the sun he covered his eyes.

She grabbed her container for strawberries and began to pull him away, "Let's go Ritsuka-kun!"

"Hey, the others…!" he called out but Yuiko just pulled him along while the others walked behind them.

They stopped at a desk with a single woman looking over some papers, "Excuse me."

The woman looked up from her work and her light blue eyes stared up at Yuiko. The woman fixed the glasses she had on the bridge of her nose and moved her black hair away from her face. She was really pretty, "Uhm, I'm Yuiko. I called earlier this week…'

The woman smiled and asked for her last name, "Hawatari."

The woman flipped through some pages before highlighting a name, "Three people?"

Yuiko blushed and shook her head, "I'm sorry, we're five now."

The woman looked behind her at the other newcomers and pointed at them, "Yes, they're with us as well."

The woman nodded and made the corrections on her sheet, "Don't worry about it. Now, do you need containers or do you have your own. Containers do cost a bit."

Yuiko shook her head and slightly raised the hand she had looped around Ritsuka's arm, "No, we have our own."

The woman stood from her position and beckoned them to follow. She could feel a bit of resistance as she pulled Ritsuka but she kept insisting until he gave in. The woman began to explain the procedure, "Strawberries measurements are 1 quart = 2 pints, which is also equivalent to 4 cups and is about the same as 1 liter. It weighs approximately 1.25 lbs, or 600- 625 g. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to pick a quart. Pick only the berries that are fully red and when you do part the leaves with your hands to look for hidden berries. Don't overfill your containers or try to pack the berries down."

She knelt near one of the plants and began to demonstrate the picking, "Grasp the stem just above the berry between the forefinger and the thumbnail and pull with a slight twisting motion. With the stem broken about one-half inch from the berry, allow it to roll into the palm of your hand. Repeat these operations using both hands until each holds 3 or 4 berries. Carefully place - _don't_ throw - the fruit into your containers."

She began to walk once more and kept the strawberries with her, "You can easily freeze berries that you don't use right away - just wash, cut the hulls off and pop them into a zip lock bag, removing as much air as possible. The berries will keep for many months frozen without air."

She heard Kio mutter and she laughed a bit nervously, "Does she really have to explain all of this? I'm sure we can do it on our own."

The woman turned around with a big smile on her face and directed it at Kio. She continued on with her presentation, "Avoid placing the picked berries in the sunshine any longer than necessary. It's better to put them in the shade or shed them in the car trunk or on the car seat when you leave. Cool them as soon as possible after picking. Strawberries may be kept fresh in the refrigerator for two or three days, depending on the initial quality of the berry. After a few days in storage, however, the fruit loses its bright color and fresh flavor and tends to shrivel."

She rubbed at one of the strawberries she had gathered and took a small bite, "When you get home I advise you don't wash the berries until you are ready to use them. Washing makes them more prone to spoiling. You should pour them out into shallow pans and remove any mashed, soft or rotting berries. Put a couple of days supply into the fridge, wash and cut the caps (green tops) off the others and freeze them up. There are some books at the front that will give you some ideas on what to make with these babies." *

She looked at her watch and nodded to herself, "Now then. You can take your pick. If you need anything I'll be at the front. Enjoy."

Yuiko waved her thanks and once more pulled Ritsuka over to a small patch, "Come on Ritsuka! Let's pick some together."

Yayoi picked some near Yuiko as well while both Kio and Soubi picked some away from all three of them.

"I thought you wanted to spend time with Aoyagi-kun," Kio asked while glancing at the child his best friend was always going after. He didn't look too enthusiastic about picking strawberries but the smiles he gave to both Yuiko and Yayoi looked genuine.

Soubi didn't reply, "You know, if you don't do anything that girl is going to take Aoyagi-kun away."

He went back to picking some strawberries but Soubi made him pause, "He won't be with them the whole day. I know him. He wants to be with me."

Kio looked over to Ritsuka and noticed him peek at them both. He sighed and went back to picking away. If they both felt that way, why didn't they do anything? If he was giving up Sou-chan then they had better do something or else he'd change his mind.

He smiled despite the thought. It had been a while since he had last seen Soubi this entertained.

* * *

><p>Kio leaned over the couch that was in the doctor's office and smiled at the memory. Seimei had always dominated Soubi's will but with Aoyagi-kun things were different. He didn't hurt Soubi, he allowed him to be himself, and that made him happy. If he had to choose between both brothers he chose the younger one hands down!<p>

"And we spent most of our time picking berries. Hawatari-san ate them as she picked and I can't help but admit I ate some too."

"Well then Kaidou-kun. Things seem to be working out well then, correct?"

Kio felt his smile drop slightly.

Not quite.

* * *

><p>Yuiko noticed Ritsuka wipe away some sweat again. He looked a bit pale and she couldn't help but become worried. He had a long sleeved shirt so that wasn't helping him cool down and she knew that he wasn't too fond of warm weather. She looked over at Yayoi who was eating some strawberries from her container.<p>

"Yayoi," she called out to him.

"What's wrong?" he asked and looked at both his companions. Ritsuka was a little more far off from them.

"I think Ritsuka-kun isn't feeling too well," she said while pointing at the now gasping Ritsuka. She saw him unbutton one of his shirt buttons.

"Aoyagi-kun, are you okay?" she heard Kio ask as Soubi and he went over to check on him. Yuiko grabbed her strawberries and went over to him as well.

"I'm fine, we should hurry…" but Kio cut him off.

"Maybe you should rest. There's some shade over where that lady that brought us in is at," he suggested.

He picked Ritsuka up and almost pushed him in the direction that they had come from, "I can take him."

He turned to Yuiko and she felt her cheeks heat up, "I know the place pretty well so I can take him over there and stay with him for a while."

Kio looked over to Soubi but the taller man didn't say anything. He was just looking at Ritsuka, "Uhm, alright then."

Yuiko smiled and went over to grab Ritsuka's arm. Instead of pulling him she made sure to be careful with him so that he wouldn't feel sick. She heard Yayoi call out to her about the strawberries she was leaving behind but getting Ritsuka to some shade was more important. She could just get some berries later or at a later date.

"Are you okay Ritsuka-kun," she asked as they walked.

"I said I was fine," she heard him reply but judging by the red on his cheeks and sweat on his forehead she concluded he wasn't.

When they reached the farm house they both sat on a bench. Yuiko watched as Ritsuka closed his eyes and leaned backwards. His breathing began to calm down and she looked away as she felt herself blush. His shirt showed a bit of his collar and that only made her wonder. She closed her eyes, _stop thinking about that!_

She opened her eyes and watched as people walked by them with containers filled with strawberries. They looked _really _good but she had to stay with Ritsuka. The sun had become stronger as the day progressed but she was sure it would cool down in a few hours. She turned back to Ritsuka and found him staring straight ahead.

Before she could look at what he was staring he asked her, "Can you bring me some water? I'm kind of thirsty."

Yuiko exclaimed, "Of course!"

Ritsuka smiled at her and she beamed. If he would smile at her like that all the time she would be the happiest person in the world! She told him to wait there and she headed to the car. She didn't want to buy any water there since they had brought plenty just in case someone needed a drink. From what she remembered Ritsuka had already drank two bottles, which is how many each of them took with them when they first arrived.

She had also finished her own so she decided against going back with the others.

When she reached the small vehicle she opened the trunk where the green ice chest was located. She opened it up and felt a shiver run through her spine. The cold breeze that escaped felt really good and she laughed slightly. Perhaps they should go to a water park before they went back to school. It would be nice to swim around while the sun was hot.

She grabbed two bottles of _Ice Mountain*_ and began to head back to Ritsuka. However, as she finally reached her destination she couldn't help but become worried. Ritsuka wasn't there anymore.

She asked some people that were nearby about him but nobody knew where he had gone. She began to walk through the field and figured he hadn't gone far. She hadn't taken too long after all. As she looked around she couldn't help but recognize a towering figure.

She walked over to it but as she got closer she let go of the bottles of water she was carrying.

Soubi was the figure that she had recognized and he wasn't alone. Ritsuka was with him and they were both in the shade of a big tree. She felt tears prickle her eyes as she watched both of them locked at the mouth. Ritsuka's small figure was held by Soubi's long arms and she couldn't tear her eyes away from them.

She felt a sob coming but she couldn't let them hear her. She covered her mouth as she watched them both part and gasp. Ritsuka moved back and leaned against the trunk of the tree while Soubi moved closer to Ritsuka. She couldn't hear what they were saying but she could clearly see what Soubi had told him.

_I love you._

Those three words that she had always been afraid to say to Ritsuka were being muttered by someone else and the part that got to her was that Ritsuka didn't get mad. Whenever she would say the word _like_ mixed in with Ritsuka he would tell her to stop and never say it again. He had told her that he didn't want to hear anyone say that to him but as she watched the exchange between both men she couldn't help but feel heartbroken.

Happiness and sadness could be seen on Ritsuka's face as those words were said and she felt the tears she had been trying to subdue come crashing down.

He already loved someone else.

She could see it in the look he gave Soubi and as she looked at Soubi she could see a troubled look mixed with love. It seemed as if they both loved each other but somehow didn't believe it. Soubi glanced over and noticed her there. She felt her heart stop at being caught but he didn't say anything. Instead he kissed Ritsuka once more.

He didn't struggle as Soubi lowered himself and claimed his lips. Yuiko turned around, grabbed the fallen bottles of water, and headed back with the others. If this was what Ritsuka wanted then she would understand, even if it hurt her to leave him. She loved him immensely and would even give him up to see him happy.

As she ran towards the others she wiped at her eyes and tried to smile.

Ritsuka was happy and that was all that mattered.

* * *

><p>Dr. Katsuko watched as the young girl in her office began to bawl her eyes out. Her eyes softened at the young girl's course of action and felt her own heart break apart. Watching someone heartbroken never made her feel great but that was what she was there for. She was going to help this young girl in her time of need.<p>

And just like she said, if Ritsuka was happy, then that was all that mattered.

He was beginning to love.

* * *

><p>*I love Ice Mountain water and don't drink any other kind unless I really have tobr   
>*The strawberry picking stuff...I've never done it myself so all that stuff I got fro . o r g<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

She couldn't believe this! She felt the paper in her hands begin to shake and she looked down and noticed her hands were shaking. She exhaled but inhaled shakily. She didn't really know why this was making her react this way. She felt flustered, angry, confused, scared and extremely nervous. She had decided that nothing he did would ever affect her again…but this was too much! She quickly read over the permission slip in her hands and couldn't help but remember those heart breaking words that had been said to her.

"_I'm not into older woman."_

The day she had gone to see Ritsuka's mother for a conference. Ritsuka had arrived not long after and she had left crying. She didn't even go and complete her task, which she had found had been a waste. If only he hadn't been there.

"_It's none of your business."_

The day that he had told her to leave. She had once again gone to see Ritsuka's family for the same reason as her first visit, a conference. She didn't really remember much about that day except that he had saved her and had injured himself in the process.

"_A teacher like you wouldn't understand."_

She had been trying to figure out why he was so mean to her. She had only been worried about his injury but he had only brushed her away like her concern didn't mean anything at all. He had made it clear that he didn't want anyone except one person in his life…but that had just confused her even more.

She banged her head on the desk and blushed as she realized she wasn't alone. The other teachers looked at her worriedly and she just smiled at them nervously. It was enough they were worried about her because of Ritsuka and the two new transfer students, and now this too? They probably thought everything was too much for her and she frowned at the papers in her hands. She had to ignore this.

She grabbed a paperclip from her drawer and sighed once more as she realized she couldn't just brush this off. She glanced at who was to accompany Ritsuka on the school trip once more and found the neat handwriting of the one and only person that had made her heart ache with love and pain, Agatsuma Soubi.

* * *

><p>Hitomi couldn't believe how wonderful the day had become. She had been worried about the weather when she realized that there might be a chance of rain but the sky had cleared up and sun was shining bright. She looked over at her students and made sure that they were all close to the wave pool.<p>

Everyone had decided to go on a field trip about a month ago and they had two options to pick from, an amusement park or a water park. Naturally everyone had picked the water park since the weather was only getting more beautiful everyday but she tried to find something with both rides and water.

Luckily for her she found the perfect place.

In fact, everything couldn't go better…except…

"Sensei," she felt herself tense up and she turned around towards the person that had called her, Soubi.

"Ah, y-yes?" she asked without looking him in the eye. She felt herself blush and began to rub her hands together.

"Yamato-san wanted me to inform you that their group went to the arcade," Hitomi nodded as she glanced over to the indoor games. She closed her eyes briefly and mustered up the courage to meet his eyes.

"Yes, it's f-fine," she replied and almost felt like slapping herself. Soubi stood right before her in only a pair of swimming trunks and she felt herself blush bright red. Her pulse began to quicken but she didn't look away.

Actually, instead of looking away she couldn't help but admire his beautiful form. His skin was radiant in the sun's glare and his broad shoulders were admirable. His toned abdomen and for a very brief moment she couldn't help but wonder about the skin that disappeared into his swimming trunks.

"Sensei?" she heard his voice and she just shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but…" she began and paused at the bandage that was wrapped around his neck.

Actually, this wasn't the only time she had seen his neck wrapped up. Every time he had picked up Ritsuka she had noticed that he either had his neck covered by a coat or had it bandaged up. She had always wondered what was going on but she never got the courage to ask him about it. Mostly because she never saw him and also because he made her too nervous when she was around him.

"Agatsuma-san?"

Soubi followed her line of sight and smiled, "It's none of your business."

Hitomi felt her body freeze at those words, "Soubi!"

Agatsuma turned towards the young boy that had called and just smiled in her direction before he left. She felt her ears flatten on her head and her glasses became wet with tears. She knew she had no right to ask him but she had just been worried. She wiped away at her eyes and made sure to wipe away every last of her tears. She told herself she wouldn't cry…but it hurt…

_No, I have to be strong._

She inhaled and exhaled, then turned around to supervise her students. Everyone was divided into groups of six, including the adult that was to chaperone. She looked over at Soubi's group and noticed the usual three together along with the two transfer students they had received a few days ago.

The Sano siblings. She frowned and couldn't help but think that she had seen them somewhere before but she couldn't remember. She walked over to the wave pool only to the point where the water flowed around her feet. Her own group was just on the other side of Soubi's group and she smiled as they looked like they were having fun. She heard a loud noise and then the sound of raising water. People began to scream and they all stood ready for the wave to take them away, and it did.

_After everyone had finished changing into their swimwear she began to split them up into the groups they had chosen during class two days beforehand. She told them that they would be headed to the wave pool first and if they wanted to branch out it was alright as long as they had a chaperone and informed her of this first._

_As they headed there, her group was talking enthusiastically. It had been their first time to go out and stay the night somewhere other than at their homes._

_As they reached the wave pool she couldn't help but slow down._

"_Sensei, aren't you going to get in the water?" Maiko asked as she saw her stop right before reaching the water. The rest of her group stopped as well._

_Hitomi felt herself come to a halt and watched as her whole group watched her. She didn't want to tell them but she didn't want to go either, "Uh…I…"_

_She looked over to some empty seats and felt the bag in her hand suddenly become heavy, "Sensei?"_

_She looked over at Maiko once more and just laughed nervously, "Ah, no, I just…ate…so I'll wait out here for a while…You know what happens when you get in with a full stomach."_

_Her group watched her and then nodded at her explanation. Hitomi laughed nervously and told them to head inside first._

"_Come join us for a while, ok Sensei!" Hio yelled out as they all ran towards the water._

_She just waved at them and wondered what she would say to them once they noticed she wouldn't be getting in. She walked over to one of the beach seats and left the bag she had with her._

_She might not get in the water but she had to take care of them._

The water near her feet began to rise but only up to her ankle. She smiled as she heard everyone laughing and she wished she could join them. She probably could…if she got over her fear of drowning. In fact, she was so afraid that she didn't even like it when the water only took her in halfway. She knew it was silly but it was just something she didn't enjoy doing.

The water flowed back and forth and she smiled as this was fine with her.

After a bit of standing she sat down right where she was and folded her arms around her knees. She looked over the crowd and counted heads once more to make sure everyone was there, except for Yamato-san's group. She nodded as she counted ten of her students and one other chaperone.

She glanced over at him and noticed that they weren't too deep into the water like her own group was. Actually, if she had to guess she would say they were only a few feet deeper in than her but it must have been low since Soubi was sitting down with his upper body exposed. She felt her cheeks heat up a bit as she continued to watch him.

He was smiling as Ritsuka and Yuiko talked. Their subject was unknown to her but it seemed like Yuiko was trying to get Soubi to participate in their conversation. Yayoi was near Yuiko and he looked like he was having fun while the Sano siblings were a bit farther from them, more on the deep end. She blushed as she noticed the red-head being carried on his brother's back.

She had noticed that they were awfully close for being brothers but she had also heard that twins were usually close and very similar when it came to habits.

She shook her head and decided to go back to look over her own group. She saw them splashing each other with water and disappearing into the water only to reappear a second later. She stood up from her place and looked down at her maroon bathing suit. It was a one piece school swimsuit, the same one that all the girls were supposed to wear, and felt like changing. She didn't feel comfortable but she knew she couldn't change until they all decided to leave.

Their trip was an overnight thing where they stayed at a hotel. Today they would be at this water park while tomorrow the students would have the choice of going either to the zoo, the museum, or coming back here. At the hotel they had ten rooms reserved, which was about a whole section of a floor.

She quickly glanced over to Soubi and noticed that Ritsuka was moving away from Soubi with a tint of pink on his cheek.

_Ritsuka?_

"S-Sensei!" she quickly turned around towards the shout of one of her students and saw Maiko running towards her.

She began to go towards her, "He's gone! He can't swim! Hio!"

This didn't just catch her attention but the lifeguard's as well, "Where was he?"

Maiko just pointed over to where the rest of our group was at. The lifeguard quickly disappeared and Hitomi led her out of the water.

"Y-you have to f-find him," Maiko said while sniffling. Hitomi felt herself tense as she realized that this was her responsibility. She looked over to her group.

"Stay here," she had to be brave. She began to walk into the water and felt herself get nervous as the water began to rise above her knees. She called out her student's name, he couldn't have been far, right? She noticed the rest of her group heading out of the water and realized that the lifeguard must have sent them out.

She felt the water reach her bosom and her hair began to fan out. This wasn't good, if the wave started she would surely be washed away. She clasped her hands together and hoped nothing bad would occur. She frantically looked around but couldn't find the lifeguard that had gone to look for Hio. She felt herself look over to the shallow end. Perhaps they had already found him.

She turned around and felt her long hair follow her body's movements. Her swimsuit was completely soaked now since the water was flowing back and forth.

She looked over and saw her group huddled over one of the lifeguards that she assumed was the one that had helped. She hoped that the person they were huddled around was her student and it was the confirmed when they parted and reveled Hio. He wasn't looking too well and she felt herself feeling the same way.

She began to walk over to the shallow end, careful not to bump into anyone and felt joy that nothing bad had occurred. Hio had been found and he wasn't injured…at least nothing that she noticed from over in the water.

There was a siren and everyone began to scream with excitement but she felt her body go cold with fear. She looked over to the end of the wave pool and noticed that the wave was beginning to form. She felt herself freeze for an instant before she began to move.

"Please, excuse me, I'm sorry," but as she tried to hurry the wave began to come closer and closer. There were too many people around and she turned around only to see the wave come crashing towards her.

Everyone was screaming from excitement.

She was screaming because of fear.

* * *

><p>"She hasn't woken up, do you think we should call a doctor?" Ritsuka asked. There was no reply to his question and he looked over to the person behind him.<p>

"Soubi?"

"I'm sure she's alright. The lifeguard said she was breathing steadily," was Soubi's response.

"I-It's all my f-fault. If I had k-known she couldn't s-swim, I wouldn't have…" Maiko began crying and Yuiko tried to comfort her.

"Ritsuka-kun, I'll take her to her room. I'll be back in a while to see how she's doing," There was some shuffling and then the room became quiet.

Hitomi didn't know if she was dreaming or not as she felt something soft and warm under her. She tried to move but her body wasn't responding to her commands. She couldn't even open her eyes…but she was sure she heard voices, her student's voices…and Soubi's? She tried to remember the last thing that had occurred.

Maiko had been frantic.

Hio had been lost.

The lifeguard had found him.

She had been in the water.

The wave.

Now she remembered and then she began to regain some feeling in her body. She felt her arms and legs become sore and her throat hurt. It was as if she had been yelling for a few hours but she knew it was because of the intake of water…and perhaps some screaming.

"Soubi? Hey, cut that out," she heard Ritsuka's voice and some shuffling.

She tried to move once more but nothing happened. Perhaps she was dreaming…but that didn't explain why she didn't see anything. Usually her dreams consisted of imagery and some dialogue and for her to dream up Ritsuka's voice? It was all too strange.

"Ritsuka," she heard Soubi's voice.

_Agatsuma-san? _She called out.

"What is it?" was the reluctant response from Ritsuka.

There was a brief pause.

"I love you."

She felt her heart ache. This must be a dream! Only her broken heart would think of something like this. Ritsuka was just a boy and Soubi was already a grown up who was years older than Ritsuka. When she had first seen Soubi, Ritsuka had known him. She had seen Soubi pick Ritsuka up from school several times and Soubi had even gone to Ritsuka's house.

Perhaps she was dreaming this because she had only ever seen Soubi with Ritsuka. Her heart was playing tricks on her.

Besides, they were both males, not that she ever paid attention to those things.

_I'm dreaming._

"D-Don't say things you don't mean," she heard Ritsuka's voice. She tried to open her eyes and when she began to see an almond colored ceiling she knew she was awake.

There was no sound and she dubbed everything as her imagination going wild. Ritsuka and Soubi? It couldn't be.

She sat up from the bed she was on and was surprised when it didn't make any noise. Usually a bed creaked but this was silent. The covers that had been around her softly fell to reveal a red t-shirt. How had she changed?

She closed her eyes briefly and then opened them once more. She felt her vision blur but as she began to blink it became clear…or at least as clear as they would get without her glasses. She turned around to reach for the table beside her bed to see if her glasses were there. Perhaps someone had found them when she had been washed away, not that she believed they were there. Things got lost easily if you didn't keep your eye on them and with how strong the wave had come at her she wouldn't be surprised if they were gone and broken.

But instead of finding what she had sought she found only the two people from her dream on the bed next to hers.

Soubi and Ritsuka.

Soubi was sitting on the full sized bed and Ritsuka was being held in between his legs. His hands rested on Ritsuka's small hips and she could see that Ritsuka was resting against Soubi's chest and by how close they were she could only conclude one thing - they were kissing.

But that wasn't what surprised her. What _really _surprised her was that Soubi was looking straight at her.

His right eye was watching her, as if he wasn't surprised to see her awake and as if he didn't care that she was present, but what hurt her and surprised her most was what happened next.

Soubi closed his eyes, completely ignoring her and pulled Ritsuka closer. She clearly heard the small sound of pleasure come from her student and she felt her sight become hazy. She knew this wasn't a dream and she felt herself move away from both males.

Everything that she had heard hadn't been a dream. Maiko's worried voice and Yuiko's comforting tone. Ritsuka's quiet voice and most of all, Soubi's confession.

"_I love you."_

The noise she made while moving backwards must have startled Ritsuka because he moved away from Soubi with a flustered look, but that wasn't what she remembered last.

She remembered Soubi's smile and look of adoration that was directed at the back of her student's head.

And she fell off the bed and was once more consumed in darkness.

"Sensei!"


	4. Chapter 4

Yayoi quickly combed through his long hair, making sure that each strand was in place and silky. Today was going to be the day of his life, and he could tell that things were going to go great! Especially since Yuiko had sought him out the day before at school. He put on a very well ironed shirt that wasn't baggy like his other shirts. This one was a navy blue button up shirt that fit him well and was neither baggy nor tight. He even double wiped his glasses and put on one of his new pair of pants.

His mother had brought them about a month ago, telling him to wear them for a party they had been invited to but he had refused to and went in his usual baggy attire. His mother had scolded him the minute they had returned home. He hadn't really fought much but he did tell her he would use them on a special occasion, and what about today didn't scream _special occasion_?

He felt his heart skip a beat as he remembered the day before.

_He was going to head over to the library to get some work finished. Ms. Shinonome had assigned them a project and depending on the students, working with a partner or alone was an option. He had decided to work alone. He sighed dejectedly as he could just imagine Ritsuka and Yuiko working together._

_He sighed again, only to perk up his ears, "Yayoi-san!"_

_Was he dreaming? He turned around, his hands filled with books and a big poster board, and Yuiko was running down the hallway, calling out to him, "Yayoi-san!"_

_He couldn't help but admire her beauty and how she could just light up a room with her face and buxom figure. He blushed as she reached him. She was out of breath and had to bend at the waist and place her hands on her knees to catch her breath. He was rooted to his spot._

"_Y-Yuiko-san, what is it?" he asked. He could feel his tail moving as he realized that he was rather happy._

"_Are you busy tomorrow?" surely his face was enough of a rival for her red blouse. He nodded, afraid that his voice wouldn't come out exactly as he would like._

"_Great!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with possibilities "Would you like to go to the amusement park?"_

_He gulped. Was she asking him on a…_date? _He could clearly remember the day she had rejected him because he wasn't taller than her and now she was asking him to go out on a date! He nodded furiously, "Y-Yes! It would be a pleasure!"_

_She smiled happily and his heart skipped a beat, "Great, I'll meet you at the station at two, okay?"_

_He could feel his hands shake and his books almost tumble over but he held on, "Yes, of course, tomorrow at 2."_

It was still rather early to be heading over but he couldn't help the excitement that was almost jumping out of him. This was his lucky day! Surely with just those few hours at the amusement park Yuiko would see that the love he had for her was real and pure and all mighty. She would surely fall for his looks and charm and they would be together and Ritsuka would be out of the picture. He could just feel that something good was going to happen today!

About fifteen minutes later he was out the door and heading for the station. He was whistling a little tune while waiting for the cross walk to turn green for the pedestrians. Meanwhile his eyes began to wander through the crowd of people. Really, there were quite a few girls out here and as he watched them he couldn't help but compare them to Yuiko and her perfectness. They were nothing compared to her clumsy charm or womanly body. He admitted she was easy to fool but even that was attractive, and her height? Who cared that she was slightly taller than most girls? He didn't care.

He felt someone push him slightly; "Out of the way kid."

He blinked as he watched the suit clad man power walking down the street. His eyes turned towards the light and he ran as the light was about to change to red once more. Once he reached the other side of the walkway he took a deep breath of air.

"That didn't go as expected," he muttered.

He was about to head over to the station when something caught his eye. He turned over to the couple that was walking down the street in the opposite direction. His eyes narrowed. There was something familiar about the shorter figure. He tried leaning out slightly to try and see who it was. His mouth fell open when he realized it was Ritsuka, which meant that the tall blonde must have been that Soubi guy.

He didn't really know who Soubi was but Yuiko had mentioned him a couple of times. He could clearly remember when she had told him that he had gone over to her house and cooked some food for them all, Ritsuka included. He couldn't help the jealousy he had felt and the way his heart had been breaking. He had wanted to be there and experience all the things she did. He also knew that Ritsuka was rather close to him because he was friends with his older brother when he was alive.

He had always seen him over at the school, waiting at the gate and it seemed like Ms. Shinonome also had something to do with the mysterious tall figure. If he remembered correctly Soubi had also been the one who gave Ritsuka the cellphone he now carried around. It was a strange relationship, the one they had.

He bumped right into a pole.

He winced and rubbed at his face. No! All the time he had taken to make sure he looked perfect had been ruined by one moment of distraction. He cursed the fact he had even been interested in watching the two but something was calling him, curiosity, perhaps, as to why they were here. He turned back around and watched them go into a café. He stood to the side and checked his watch. He was still early…

He walked back and crossed the street in order to get to where they were at. The café was rather packed with groups of friends and there was no place for Ritsuka or Soubi to sit. Instead, they were leaned up against a wall. Yayoi watched Soubi. He was rather tall and had long blonde hair. He had it down and it reached a few inches passed his shoulders. His glasses were balanced on his nose and made him look rather professional. Like himself, Soubi wore a button down but his own was a deeper color. A more velvet deep maroon and his pants were black while his own had been a lighter shade of blue compared to his navy shirt.

Ritsuka, on the other hand, wore more casual clothes. He had on blue jeans that looked rather short on him. He couldn't help but compare them to capris. Instead of his usual long sleeved shirt he wore, this time he wore a short sleeved crème colored shirt that had the borders and the collar red. There was gauze wrapped around his left arm and he couldn't help but wonder what had happened. In fact, he also had a bandage on his left cheek and one on his right arm. You could barely see that one but every time he shifted part of it peeked out from under his sleeve.

It really made him curious as to why he had so many injuries. It was the first time he had seen Ritsuka without a baggy sweater.

Ritsuka was leaning on Soubi while Soubi was leaning on the wall. His arms were around Ritsuka's smaller frame and he couldn't help but blush slightly as he noticed Soubi move his face closer to Ritsuka's own. Soubi's hair fell to cover their faces slightly but he was saying something to Ritsuka. He could see his lips moving and then Ritsuka's scowl but he could tell he wasn't really angry if his tail had anything to say about it.

There was a tap on his shoulder, "I wasn't spying!"

He turned to face a rather confused waiter, "Excuse me sir…but are you going to go inside? There's a no loitering policy."

Inside? If he went inside they would surely see him! He checked his watch and paled. If he didn't get going now he wouldn't make it to his date with Yuiko! He apologized, "Sorry, no, have to run."

* * *

><p>He looked around to see if Yuiko was here already. He had made it to the station and caught the train before it left him, which barely gave him enough time for a breather once he arrived. In just five minutes he would be seeing Yuiko and all her cute glory. Would she be wearing a dress? It had been a while since he had last seen her wear one but she had been really cute. Actually, it had been quite a few years. It was during the time when her parents would dress her up and they were both in first grade, five years ago. Now, when she wore anything that even resembled a dress she would wear tight jeans or shorts under.<p>

"Yayoi-san!" he turned at her call and looked her over. She was beautiful.

She wasn't wearing a dress but she was wearing a salmon blouse that…he gulped…was rather low. It billowed out slightly around her belly and went to about mid-thigh. She wore dark blue shorts under, which, he noticed, could almost disappear under her blouse. She had a bag hanging from her back and her cute pink hair was in braided pigtails. She had two bracelets on her right wrist and he could clearly see her creamy arms and legs.

The only thing that looked slightly out of place on her combination was the green army designed cap she had on her head. It didn't look bad but it did catch his attention.

"Yuiko-san," he began, "you look b-beautiful."

"Thank you, you don't look too bad yourself," she paused and he watched as her cheeks brightened a bit, "Let's go in!"

He nodded as she grabbed his hand and pulled them along. Her hand was warm and as he ran behind her he couldn't help but smell the strawberry mango shampoo she had surely used. Perhaps she had been as nervous as he was? It looked like she had really put in some thought into what she was wearing.

As they entered the amusement park he couldn't help but remember the last time he had been to one. The last time it had been like a field trip and even Ms. Shinonome had accompanied them. He also remembered that there had been some uninvited guests a few hours into their fun, which hadn't been so bad. In fact, it had been rather fun and he had been able to see Yuiko in a kimono.

They didn't move to the rides as soon as they entered, like he had hoped. Instead, they began walking around. Yuiko was still holding onto his hand and she was also the one leading. They didn't really seem to have any particular destination from what he could see. Instead, it looked like she was looking around for something. He tried to see if she would tell him what it was. Perhaps he could help her find it. Instead of answering him she stopped abruptly in front of a hotdog and popcorn stand. He blinked. They had passed about three of these already.

He looked up at the menu to see if there was something particularly interesting about this but there was nothing different from this stand and the next, "Yuiko-san?"

She smiled at him before asking for a hotdog. He followed her lead and did the same. The stand had a side table where you could add ketchup, mustard, and radish if you wanted. He walked over and added some ketchup and radish to his hotdog. He looked over at Yuiko but she wouldn't turn around when he called, "Yuiko-san, what's wrong?"

She shook her head, "Nothing, uhm, can you pass me the ketchup?"

He did so and watched as she squirted only slightly onto her hotdog. As she munched on it he couldn't help but think she looked rather cute. He was stunned once more by the way she was and, of course, didn't realize his mess until she giggled and pointed at his shirt, "Some ketchup fell on your shirt."

He blushed and was about to reach for a napkin when Yuiko wiped the ketchup clean off his shirt and smiled, "Mama says you have to wipe it off quickly, otherwise it will stain, and carefully unless you want it to smear."

"Thank you…Yuiko-san," he said. She finally turned and began walking but he couldn't help but touch at the place where Yuiko had cleaned off the ketchup. It had felt…rather close and he couldn't help but picture her as his wife.

He practically drooled at the sight of her wearing an apron and spoon feeding him. He would have probably continued daydreaming if she didn't pull on his arm. In fact, this time they had their arms locked. He couldn't believe this! They really did look like a couple! He couldn't help but tighten his lock with her arm and she turned to him, a blush on her cheeks. She didn't move away, which was heavenly to him but they did continue walking, and once more it looked like she wasn't paying attention to all of the stalls.

He finished his hotdog, "Uh, Yuiko-san, where are we going?"

She folded the paper tray where her hotdog had been served and pointed over to where she was looking. He looked over and almost called out to the two people a few stalls ahead of them but Yuiko clamped his mouth with her hand, "Shhh!"

He couldn't think right, that was all. Her hand was on his face and he could smell the vanilla lotion she must have used this morning, or even before she left her house to come and see him. It was an intoxicating smell that left him putty in her hands, literally but her distracted eyes brought him back to reality and he removed her hand. It took all his willpower, "Why are we…following them?"

That was surely what they were doing, right? He paused as Yuiko began to walk forward when they did, "Did you have this in mind since yesterday?"

She beckoned him over a few stalls down and she confirmed his answer, "I'm sorry, but I didn't know who else to bring with me."

He felt his heart break as he realized that she had indeed planned this out. It was about Ritsuka again! He felt like clawing at something but he also felt paralyzed in his place, as if he had just turned to stone. Yuiko must have noticed his frozen state, "Yayoi-san? Are you angry?"

He shook his head. Of course he wasn't. He would never be angry at her, even when she had rejected him on that one fateful day, "But I did want Yayoi-san to accompany me. You're one of my best friends, along with Ritsuka-kun."

Of course he had to be paired along with Ritsuka. Why couldn't he be her one and only best friend? He had known her longer than Ritsuka ever had, but Ritsuka still received the better side of Yuiko's charm. What could he do? Leave her on her own on this Ritsuka stalking trip? No, something could happen to her, especially when she was dressed the way she was. Then he nodded as he realized her army cap had been deliberately placed atop her pretty head.

"Why are you," he paused, trying to find a word other than stalking but couldn't find one, "stalking Ritsuka?"

She turned to him with a sad smile, "Soubi-san likes Ritsuka-kun."

Before he could, once more exclaim, Yuiko had him clamped up and he whispered, "What!"

She nodded, "And I think…Ritsuka-kun also feels the same way towards Soubi-san, just that he doesn't know how to express himself."

He nodded, but that still didn't explain why they were there, looking over them. He voiced his concerns, "Uhm, I don't know. I just wanted to make sure that what I saw was real and that Soubi-san doesn't hurt Ritsuka-kun."

She pouted and began to twirl her fingers together. She was practically pleading with him so that he wouldn't leave. He sighed. Really, the things he did for this wonderful, angelic being was out of this world but he could understand. She was probably feeling the way he was when she would watch her interact so closely with Ritsuka. It wasn't a feeling that he wanted her to have but it wasn't like he could change things. The only thing he could do was be with her in her time of sadness.

Five rides later and four meals later left Yayoi with a body that didn't even want to move to the next stall, unless, of course, it was a bathroom. It was already night time and the sun had set a while ago. All the lights had been turned on and he couldn't help but notice how everything looked much more ethereal, especially Yuiko. Her skin practically glowed with the different color lights and instead of feeling like she was weighed down by a ton of rocks, Yuiko looked even more energetic than before.

He had lost sight of the couple a few rides into the amusement park but he was sure they weren't far from them, especially if Yuiko was keeping an eye on the two of them. He grabbed Yuiko's hand and couldn't help but smile at her laughter at being caught. They had been racing, to see who would exit the ride, a roller coaster, first, and she had won but he had also caught her on her way out.

He couldn't help but notice that they were having fun, even if he knew her true motives. They both stopped to take in some much needed air, especially him. In fact, a break to the bathroom would sound really nice to his over the top filled stomach, "Let's go on the Ferris Wheel next!"

He looked over to the giant wheel and gulped. The last time he had been in there was when Ms. Shinonome had come with them. That day was also the day that he had seen Yuiko and Ritsuka kiss…he blushed at the image he had seen that one day. It had left him broken and with a hoarse voice, after all of his calling, "Uhm, you go line up, I need to go to the bathroom…"

Yuiko smiled, "Don't take too long!"

She ran off to the line before anyone else could beat her to it and he headed for the bathroom. It seemed his junk food filled belly was no longer worried about spilling over food, but butterflies. Really, he knew that she didn't feel that way towards him. He was sure now that he knew why she had brought him here, but his feelings wouldn't just go away. They hadn't gone away the day he was rejected, they hadn't gone away during the time he had seen her with Ritsuka, and they wouldn't go away now, knowing he was just someone that she had decided to bring along on her chase for Ritsuka.

He washed his face with cold water. Ferris Wheels were for couples that were in love and once they reached the top, where everything was visible, they would kiss. He felt his cheeks burn as an image of Yuiko and him kissing was brought to the forefront of his mind. He had only held her hand and they had been very soft. He could only imagine her lips but even then the feeling felt too fake.

His heart skipped a beat.

When he met up with Yuiko, Yayoi was feeling a bit better. He was still nervous and seeing her closer to the font only made it a bit more nerve wracking. He needed something to take his mind off of his Yuiko filled mind, "So…where are Ritsuka and Soubi-san?"

She leaned to the side ever so slightly and nodded towards the front of the line. He looked over and right in front of them were the two. In fact, it looked like they were next in line for a ride. He watched as the ride was stopped, a couple was let out, and both Soubi and Ritsuka were allowed inside. Soubi went in after Ritsuka and he couldn't help but wonder why Ritsuka looked a bit…flustered.

If what Yuiko had told him was true…then perhaps he felt the same way he was feeling now. He couldn't help but think about this now. He had always believed that Ritsuka had feelings for Yuiko but perhaps he had only ever seen Yuiko's feelings. Ever since Ritsuka came along other people had been popping by at the school, like the two kids from before. He never did find out who they were but he could see that there was something going on between Ritsuka and them.

And, well, Ritsuka had never seemed the type to like Soubi. He could recall a time when they had been helping Ms. Shinonome clean up. Ms. Shinonome had been gazing out of the window and when they happened upon her she had mentioned Soubi. Ritsuka had just brushed him off but Yuiko had told him about how close the two were. It seemed a bit odd.

There was a tug at his sleeve, "Come on, it's our turn!"

He watched as Yuiko entered the ride and he followed after. He sat opposite her instead of next to her. He couldn't look at her. He was too nervous and he was sure that if he did, his eyes would stray to her pink lips, so instead he began to look at the other compartments to see if he could spot Ritsuka and Soubi. That had been their goal, right?

It didn't take him much to find them. They were in the compartment across from them. He could see them but only when they were above or at the same height. Right now they were hovering over the couple and he couldn't help but gape. Ritsuka was _straddling_ Soubi! He was sure his glasses even tilted to the side. Yuiko had been right, there was something going on between them! He couldn't help the curiosity that boiled in him. He wanted to know what was going on.

They seemed rather immersed in each other, or at least Soubi did. He couldn't really see Ritsuka's expression until he looked to the side. He was blushing and had a slight furrow on his brows. Was he upset? Soubi didn't look upset. In fact, he looked amused. They were about to disappear from his view but before they did Yayoi saw them lean into each other and kiss.

"That's so pretty!" his gaze shifted and he noticed that Yuiko was too busy looking out at the now lightened up sky. The sky was filled with lights and as the seconds passed, more filled the sky.

"Yuiko-san…" she hadn't seen what he had, he was sure.

Instead, she was too busy looking out into the sky and he couldn't help but feel his gaze soften at the girl he loved. She turned towards him and he wasn't surprised to see a few tears gleaming in her eyes. He knew what they were from but he was also sure she hadn't seen the display he had; otherwise she would probably be worse. She sat with her hands on her knees.

"Yayoi-san," she began, "I'm sorry for everything. I know I haven't been very nice about your feelings, and I'm just only realizing how much I've hurt you."

This had been the first time that Yuiko had ever spoken to him in such a manner. Not even when she was rejecting him did she speak like this. When she rejected him she had started bawling right after she had said she couldn't date shorter guys. Now, however, she looked more grown up and sounded like she was more grown up as well. He couldn't help but feel sad because the reason she was like this was because her heart had been shattered.

"Please, forgive me," before he could even utter a single word she had trapped him and had her lips plastered to his own.

He couldn't move as he felt her light kiss. Her lips were much softer than what he had imagined and sweet as well, but there was a taste to them. There was sadness even in her kiss and as he opened his eyes he noticed a tear drop from her eyes and down her cheeks. He hadn't liked Ritsuka at the beginning of their friendship because he thought Ritsuka was trying to take Yuiko away, but even now that he was hurting Yuiko he couldn't become angry.

Ritsuka had found someone he loved and both Yuiko and he were just two people that had fallen for the wrong person.


End file.
